National MediaMaker Fellowship

Since 1991, BAVC's MediaMaker Fellowship has provided in-kind training and production grants for independent artists at work on social-issue film and multimedia projects, with a particular focus on supporting emerging artists and underserved communities. The National MediaMaker Fellowship builds an engaged national community of creative media artists from diverse fields, increases their capacity for project completion and lasting impact, and inspires new partnerships and collaboration to support future work. The Fellowship is designed to give independent artists direct access to the latest digital media technologies and prepare them for broadcast on public television or other independent outlets, with focused digital and multiplatform strategies for community engagement.

The ten-month program will support the development of projects at all stages of production, and will include professional mentorship in multiplatform and transmedia storytelling, curriculum development, social media and marketing, fundraising and distribution strategy support.

The 2015 MediaMaker cohort will:

Participate in three separate three-day immersive workshops and feedback sessions at BAVC’s San Francisco office, as well as five informal bi-monthly half-day convenings for local Fellows (with web-participation an option for National Fellows).

Attend the 2015 Full Frame documentary film festival (with a full festival pass) in Durham, as well as an additional industry event in the Fall (TBD, but will include full passes/participation and travel)

Present their project to a room of funders, programmers and distributors in a final culminating event in December.

Program Eligibility & Criteria

Any BAVC member working on a noncommercial project is eligible for the MediaMaker Fellowship.

The project must have a strong digital media component or vision, and potential for social impact, but it need not be a traditional documentary or narrative film. Projects can be web-based, linear, interactive, performance, installation, exhibition, or a hybrid of these.

BAVC takes special interest in artists who are working on projects about community and social justice issues, but encourages projects of any genre or subject matter to apply.

The MediaMaker Fellows program is particularly interested in supporting a diverse cross-section of artists with multi-disciplinary backgrounds, as well as applicants who demonstrate a capacity for artistic growth.

The proposed project should have some existing content to share, and it is preferred that applicants have a funding commitment from at least one additional source (besides BAVC).